Laval Rouge et Or offensive lineman Pierre Lavertu raises the Dunsmore Cup after defeating Montreal Carabins in CIS football for the RSEQ final last November. The Stamps traded with Ottawa to land the right to pick Lavertu first overall in Tuesday night’s CFL draft.Jacques Boissinot
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Quinn Smith of Concordia University was the star of the CFL combine but saw his draft stock deflate after he tested positive for banned stimulant Stanozolol, admitting the infraction in a letter to all CFL general managers, explaining he took it by mistake.Dave Chidley
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of the McGill University Redmen receives the J.P. Metras Trophy as the Outstanding Lineman during Vanier Cup celebrations last November. He was the No. 1-rated prospect for the draft, but fell because he is pursuing NFL aspirations.Jacques Boissinot
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Laval defensive back Adam Thibault, left, celebrates a touchdown with teammate Guillaume Rioux during the Mitchell Bowl against Calgary in 2011. Thibault will now be coming to McMahon Stadium, armed with a 4.45 40 he ran at the combine.Stuart Gradon
/ Calgary Herald

A massive roar erupted at a Quebec City Boston Pizza Tuesday night in celebration of Pierre Lavertu’s pending move to the other side of the country.

“My mom’s crying,” the first overall pick in the Canadian Football League draft said in a conference call with national media just outside the Laval draft party in the pizza joint. “Everybody was happy. Everybody’s coming and showing me some love.

“It was a good moment for me.”

A good moment for Lavertu, and a great moment for the Calgary Stampeders as John Hufnagel once again stole the headlines on draft day.

The Stamps head coach/general manager pulled off a trade with Ottawa 30 minutes before the 5 p.m. kickoff of the nationally televised event, sending guard Jon Gott to the Redblacks for the first overall pick and the rights to retired offensive lineman Marwan Hage.

The trade makes sense for both teams. In Gott, the Redblacks lock down a savvy veteran with the ability to anchor the line. In Lavertu, the Stamps acquire a 6-foot-3, 300-pounder with the potential to start in his first season and play alongside Brett Jones in the interior for the next decade.

“I think I’m pro ready for the CFL,” Lavertu, 24, said before heading back inside to rejoin the party. I know I’ve worked hard for this, and I’m physically ready. I understand well the game. I can learn the playbook really quick and make sure the playbook isn’t going to be an obstacle for next year.”

In Hage, the Stamps secure an insurance policy of sorts. A two-time East Division all-star, the popular lineman is working out and has yet to file official retirement papers, but he is not in football shape.

By the end of the evening, the Stamps had selected the first overall pick (Lavertu), the consensus top player available in the draft (offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a McGill product picked in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs), the fastest player at the CFL combine (defensive back Adam Thibault, of Laval), and the rising star of the CFL combine, at least until a positive drug test saw his stock suddenly plummet (offensive/defensive lineman Quinn Smith, of Concordia.) Chalk it up as just another draft day at the office for Hufnagel, who never shies away from dramatics during the CFL talent lottery.

“The first two rounds were very interesting,” Hufnagel said of the seemingly never-ending string of trades kick-started by Calgary and Ottawa. “At the end of the day, I’m pleased with our selections.

“We’ll find out when we get here how pleased are we.”

With their first round (seventh-overall) pick, the Stamps selected Smith in spite of his failed drug test at the combine.

Earlier this month, Smith wrote all nine general managers — including Hufnagel — to tell them he tested positive for Stanozolol. He later told the Montreal Gazette that he had never even heard of the word before and hadn’t researched he supplements he obtained online to help him prepare for the league’s evaluation camp.

“You’re concerned about it, yes,” Hufnagel said. “But I believe the young man.”

Smith played both sides of the ball at Concordia, but he comes to Calgary to compete on the interior of the defensive line — an area of need due to the trade of Justin Phillips to the Ottawa Redblacks.

“It’s honestly a big weight lifted off my shoulders being drafted with so many great players in the draft,” Smith said Tuesday night. “I’m only six-foot-one, but I have a really good motor.

“I like to think I’m a good pass rusher. I’m very versatile on the pass rush and the run. I can be put in a lot of different situations. If it’s second and long and we need a good pass rusher, then I can do that. If it’s third and short, and we need to stop the run, I also feel like I’m ready to step in and do that as well.”

In the second round, the Stampeders selected Smith’s teammate Max Caron, who will compete at linebacker and on special teams.

“He’s one of the hardest workers I know,” Smith said. “He might be one of the smartest football players I’ve ever met. He’s a great leader.”

With their first of three picks in the third round, the Stampeders gambled on Duvernay-Tardif. Destined for the NFL, he is also enrolled in medical school.

Tardif may never report to Calgary, but if he does — even years down the road — the pick could be deemed a steal.

Also in the third round, the Stamps selected the speedster Thibault, who will compete at safety with Keenan MacDougall, Adam Berger and Jeff Hecht.

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